University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.
2004 University of Massachusetts Amherst. All rights reserved.
Born May 26, 1912 in Royal Oak, Michigan, Lederle received his A.B., 1933, A.M., 1934, LL.B., 1936, and Ph.D., 1942, all from the University of Michigan. He was admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1936, working with a Detroit law firm from 1936 to 1940. Lederle was at Brown University from 1941 to 1944, serving as a professor of political science and assistant dean. He returned to the University of Michigan in 1944, filling a number of professional roles there, and was admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court in 1947. Lederle remained at the University of Michigan until 1960.
The Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts elected Lederle President of the University in 1960. Upon his resignation in 1970, the Board appointed him the Joseph B. Ely Professor of Government at the Amherst Campus, the position he presently holds.
Dr. Lederle holds honorary degrees from Amherst, Holy Cross, Boston University, Hokkaido University of Japan, University of Massachusetts, Northeastern, and Lowell State College. He has served on a number of U.S. Congressional special committees, and Massachusetts educational boards.
The papers of John W. Lederle document chiefly his tenure as the University of Massachusetts' sixteenth president from 1960-1970, a decade of rapid growth resulting in dramatic increases in the number of the University's physical structures; in the variety of its academic programs and offerings; and in the size of its staff, faculty, and student body. The collection spans the years 1947-1983, with the majority of materials dating from the period of Dr. Lederle's presidency, and includes professional correspondence, administrative records, subject files, committee notes, reports, and clippings. Administrative records document the operation of the Amherst Campus as well as the development of two new campuses: the Boston Campus and the Medical School Campus in Worcester. These records provide details about the University's buildings, accreditation, finances, colleges and schools, faculty governance, campus newspapers and radio, cooperation with the Five Colleges, and students, including information on student unrest during the 1960s.
Extra-University records document Dr. Lederle's involvement and interactions with governmental and non-governmental organizations at the state, regional, and national levels. In particular, Dr. Lederle was involved with the Board of Higher Education, the Higher Education Facilities Commission, state agencies such as Administration and Finance, the New England Center for Continuing Education, and federal agencies such as the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The collection also contains Dr. Lederle's personal correspondence, speeches, bibliographies of his writings, biographical information, a transcript of an oral history describing his administration, and materials relating to his professional activities that followed his presidency.
Finally, the papers include a series of confidential records consisting mainly of personnel files. These materials are restricted and there is no container list for the series in this finding aid.
This collection is organized into six series:
The papers include a series of confidential records consisting mainly of personnel files. These materials are restricted and there is no container list for the series in this finding aid.
The collection is open for research.
Processed by Virginia Conrad, 1985.
Reflected in biographical materials are details of President Lederle's education; academic positions at Brown University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Massachusetts; his experience as a lawyer and a member of Michigan State government; activities in professional organizations; service to academic and governmental organizations on committees and commissions, in workshops and seminars, and as a consultant and advisor. The transcript of an oral history interview provides an overview of the Lederle years and adds color to the information provided by the papers. Documents and memorabilia concerning President Lederle's inauguration, testimonials following his resignation, and honors and awards are included in this series as are bibliographies of his writings and news releases. Correspondence with friends and colleagues outside the University are arranged by date so that references to events can be more easily located. There is a small quantity of miscellaneous correspondence, mostly in answer to complaints from parents and others, which is arranged alphabetically. A folder of letters to newspapers illustrates the president's public relations skills. Annual reports from 1960 to 1970, speeches and notes, and appointment books complete the material on the presidential years, but there is also information on teaching and university service during Dr. Lederle's tenure as Joseph B. Ely Professor of Government until 1982 and on extra-university service through 1979.
Subseries 1. Administration. This subseries concerns the operation of the Amherst Campus primarily, but information about the development of the Boston Campus and Medical School will also be found here, particularly under Dean of Administration Leo Redfern, the Treasurer, and the Provost. Note that Institutional Studies became Budgeting and Institutional Studies in 1969. There are many heading for buildings and many for planning because of the different groups and agencies involved in these activities. Financial matters may have to be tracked under headings of Budget, Capital Outlay, Budgeting and Institutional Studies, and Treasurer as well as under buildings, planning, or other topics as appropriate. An exchange of memos may be partly under the area concerned and partly under the administrative officer involved. President Lederle's views on a subject may be found in personal correspondence in Series 1/2. Materials in the folders on the law firm Ely, Bartlett, Brown and Proctor, on trustees, and on Secretary of the University illuminate many topics.
Subseries 2. Schools, Colleges, Departments and Programs. This subseries covers colleges and schools and departments and also bureaus, institutes, centers, programs, projects, etc. There are also subjects such as Dean's Council, accreditation, cooperative programs within the Five Colleges, Honors Program, International Programs, Residential Colleges and Continuing Education.
Subseries 3. Committees and Councils. This subseries includes study of academic and administrative topics, and again there are headings involving buildings and planning.
Subseries 4. Faculty. This subseries concerns faculty personnel and governance matters. Interactions with faculty concerning academic matters are to be found in subseries 2.
Subseries 5. Students. This subseries covers the administrative offices directly involved with students, such as Dean of Students, Admissions, Dormitories, Placement and Financial Aid, Health Services, and also student governance and organizations. Alumni activities are included. Information on the 1960s student unrest and disruptions will be found here. Information on President Lederle's reactions can be supplemented by referral to personal correspondence in Series 1/2. Referral to Security, Series 2/1, may also be useful.
Subseries 6. Scholarships, Grants, and Gifts. This subseries covers financial assistance, both public and private, to individual faculty and students. Gifts are also included.
Subseries 7. Newspapers, Radio, Television. Files pertaining to Campus newspapers, University of Massachusetts Press, Massachusetts Review, campus radio, educational television, and other publishing activities are included here.
This series documents the establishment of the University of Massachusetts campus in Boston from the introduction of legislation in 1964. In folder 460 correspondence November 1981-March 1982 between President Lederle and Professor Richard M. Freeland contains President Lederle's views and describes some of the difficulties in this undertaking. Legislative battles and support and opposition by educational institutions, newspapers, and others has considerable coverage. Consultants' studies for temporary and permanent locations are included, as are the views of politicians and others as covered in the many newspaper clippings. Financing the project, partially by federal funding, is covered. There is material on task forces and committees established to develop policy, organization, staffing, curriculum, and student services and to search for academic and administrative leadership. Admissions and some student activities receive attention.
From 1951 the Board of Trustees had considered establishing a medical school. This series includes reports dating from 1956 regarding the need for public medical and dental education and the introduction and support of legislation in 1960. Studies and correspondence with consultants and advisors, opponents and supporters. Letters and newsclippings describe the many controversies that arose, such as the one over the delays and increased costs that nearly brought the project to a halt in 1969. After a successful legislative battle over additional funding the ground breaking ceremony took place October 23, 1969. There was an investigation into the selection of architects, problems in getting a design that would meet with HEW approval for funding, and heated battles over location, with Worcester selected as a compromise. Material on the selection of a dean fills several folders. Removal of the state salary ceiling to enable recruitment of medical teaching and administrative staff required another legislative battle.
This series concerns the University's interactions with governmental and non-governmental organizations in the Commonwealth, New England and the nation. Within the Commonwealth of particular importance is the material concerning legislative action:
The Autonomy Bill H.3350 became Chapter 648, signed into law July 11, 1962. To gain greater flexibility in the management of University affairs, particularly in the area of budget, purchasing, personnel, including salary ranges (both of the automatic and discretionary type) and construction.
Trust Fund Bill S.113 became Chapter 877, signed into law January 7, 1966. To clarify the authority of the Board of Trustees to control trust funds in accordance with the Autonomy Bill.
Trust Fund Bill H.4392 became Chapter 505 of the Acts of 1968. To include trust provisions for grant overhead funds.
There is a folder of correspondence with each of the Governors in office during the period. There is considerable material on the Board of Higher Education, its predecessor, the Advisory Board of Higher Education Policy, and the Advisory Commission to the Board of Higher Education; the Higher Education Facilities Commission, formed to coordinate federal facilities grants; state agencies such as Administration and Finance, Attorney General, Massachusetts Crime Commission; Massachusetts state universities, colleges, and community colleges; state offices having to do with education and various education councils and commissions.
New England organizations include the New England Board of Higher Education; the New England Center for Continuing Education; the New England Council, founder of the New England Center for Continuing Education; and New England State Universities formed for cooperative activities, one of the main programs of which was the Yankee Conference sports federation.
Extra-University material on a national level includes correspondence with the Massachusetts Congressional delegation which, along with material on Health, Education and Welfare, should be consulted for information on federal funding. Other federal agencies include the Atomic Energy Commission, Civil Defense, Immigration and Naturalization Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Also included are Civil Rights Act, Economic Opportunity Act, and Higher Education Act. Non-governmental organizations include the American Council on Education and others.
This series contains applications for administrative positions; letters of recommendation for colleagues, former faculty and staff, and students; and various complaints and grievance procedures regarding tenure, reappointment, nepotism, promotion, court actions, disciplinary actions, etc.
See box list for folder headings.